Park Plaza Buildings

Overview

Location: Westminster Bridge, London

Client: G C Project Management

Scope: Design & Install Post-Tensioning

As the need for executive style apartments in central London becomes greater, so do the physical attributes of the building. Westminster Bridge Park Plaza is just such a scheme. Fourteen storeys high and with a full height atrium, the insitu concrete structure is nothing but striking. Noted for its contemporary style, this exclusive ApartHotel development (of suites and one-bed room apartments), is situated at the end of Westminster Bridge, with spectacular views of the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye.

Structural Systems worked closely with the off-shore consultant who carried out the concept design for the building. The structure required several post tensioned transfer areas at Level 2, including a curved area in the NE corner of the structure, and two large transfer beams. This complex design also allowed for the transfer deck to be partly supported by hanging wall supports from above.

The beams were required to support the 12 upper levels, with the smallest beam being 4.55m deep, 800mm wide and 12m long. The larger beam was 4.55m deep, 1.60m wide and 21.3m long.

The smaller beam had two multi-strand tendons, with the larger beam requiring eight multi-strand tendons, each made up of nineteen 15.7mm diameter strands; to control the deflection to 7mm maximum.

The shortest beam was designed to carry point loads of 5700kN (Dead load) and 1515kN (Live load), whilst the longer beam carried point loads of 5200kN (Dead load) and 1800kN (Live load).

Structural Systems were the only company willing to undertake such a complex design and without our input, the construction of the building in its current form, would not have been possible.